Flange-oiler.



I. P. HGQFER.

PLANGE OILER. APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 5, 1912.

D D D (l Dumm Elm@ i n Y d, Wmmfrs 0. 1",.H00PER. FLANGE OILER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5, 1912.

Qu.. 12 ouT 1E :E 5H 2J ..8 ,wm dS n na D...

WIT/VESSES BY MMM l Anonym f* atented Feb. 25,

,Y I I 1 d 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3,

. F. HOOFER.

PLANGE OILER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5, 1912 /f/ C. F. HOOFER. PLANGEoILBR. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 5, 1912. f 1,054, 5 50. Patented Feb. 25,1913.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS cHARLEs r. HooFER, orsPoKANE, wAsHINGftlfoN.v

.rLANeE-OILER.

Specioation of Letters Patent.

Application filed March `5, .1912. Serial- No. 681,772.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES F. HoorER, yacit-izen ofthe United States, and a resident 0f Spokane, in the countyof Spokane and State .of Washington, have made certain new and usefulImprovements in Flange-Oilers, of which the following is aspecification. 1

My invention relates toimprovements in devices for, lubricating flangesof locomotives and other track vehicles, and 'it consists in theconstructions, combinations and arrangements herein describedandlclairned. An object of my invention is to provide means 'whereby theflanges vof locomotives .or other vehicles may be oiled automatically atcertain places where such lubrication isl most necessary, such as oncurves in the track.

Other objectsl of my invention are to provideautomatic means operated byair pressure for positively feeding the lubricating fluid to the iangesof the wheels.

A further object of my invention isto provide a novelform of oilcontainer.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel form of oildistributer.

Other objects land advantages will a pear in the followingspecification, and t e novel 'features of the device will beparticularly pointed out' inv the appended claims.

My invention is illustrzited in the accompanyin'g drawings forming part'of this application in which-A 1F igure 1 is a side View of alocomotiveshowing my invention as applied thereto, Fig. 2 is a central sectionthroughone of the oil retainers, Fig. 3 is a front view of an oilretainer, Fig. 4 -is a detail perspective view of a portion of the oilfeed valve Fig. 5 is a section through the air controlvalve, showing thelatter in its closed po- -sition, Fig. 6 is aside View of the aircontrol valve, Fig. 7 is a. section through the air control valveshowing the valve in its open position, Fig. 8 is a section along theline 8 8 of Fig. 5, Fig. 9 is afdetail view showing the o1l distributingdevice, Fig. 10 is a-front view of a ortion of the o1] distributingdevice, showing the means for suspending the latter, Fig. 11 .is asectional view of a portion of the distributing device, Fig. 12 is adetail view showing the osition of a spring retaining pin before ocking,and Fig. 13 a view similar to Fig. 12, showing the position ofthespring-pin when locked. s A

In carrying out my invention I provide oil receptacles or. retainerslike that shown at Ain Figs.A l and 2. I may also use double retainerslike that shown at B in Fig. l, these being the same as the retainers Aexcept that they are larger, and are adapted to carry two or more oilfeeding mechanisms in communication with the sa-mereceptacle. Theretainers may be inade of -any suitableV material, but are preferably ofcast brass or iron. lThey consist of an attaching plate 1 which formsone wall of the retainer havin a bottom 2 and a top 3 providedwi'th ahinged cover 4. The bottom 2 slopes downwardly to. a drain passage 5,which is' normally closed by a plug 6. At the top of the retainer or.receptacle just underneath the cover 4 is a screen 7 for straining theoil. .This may be lifted out and cleaned of. `the dirt or refuse. Eachreceptacle is rovided with one or more cylinders 8 whlch pass throughopenings in the cover 3. rI he cylinder is threaded as shown at 9, andis screwed. intoan opening in the bottom 2. The top of the cylinder 8 isthreaded as shown at 10 to receive a screw union 11 which secures a pipe12 to the cylinder 8, a suitable gasket 13 being provided. The bottom,of the cylinder 8 is provided with vopenings 14 communicatingv with theinterior of the receptacle. Below the openings V14 is a valve seat 15,while at the end of the cylinder is another valve seat 16.

The-bottom 2 is provided with a downwardly projecting integral nipple 17which is threaded to receive a union 18 for'connecting the nipple 19, asclearly shown in Fig. f2.

Within the cylinder 8 lis an elongated valve 20, whichis provided withpacking rings 21 at one end. This valve has a passage 22 extending verynearly through it, a similar passage 23 connecting the passage 22 withthe space24 above the valve 20. Referring Patented Fe'b. 25,1913.

now to Fig. 4, it'will be seen that the valve 20 is. provided with anenlarged portion 20* having radial guidemembers 20y arranged -to contactwith the inner walls of the cylinder 8. The lower part of .the enlargedpor-' tion 20X vof the valve is tapered to form a valve face 20. ducedportion 20v of the valve 20 is screwed a valve member 26, which isarranged to bearagainst the valve seat 16, a sprlng 27. being disposedbetween the valve 26 and the nipple 19, as shown in the drawing.

The air control valve is best shown in Figs. 5 to. 8. It consistsfof avalve casing .28 having an inlet 29 and an outlet 30. In

the bottom of the valve casing 28 is a screw plug 31. Avalve 32, such asthat shown in Figs. 5 and 7 is arranged to bear against a valve seat 33.This valve- 32 is provided with radial guide members. 32x which arearranged to engage the interior of the walls of the valve casing 28 as,clearly shown in Fig.'8. A stem 34 eX- tends upwardly through a packinggland 35, and terminates just below the end 36 of a bell-crank lever,which is pivoted at 37 to the arms 38 carried by the plate 39 whichbears the valve1 casing 28.` 'A spring 40 bears at one end upon thebottom of the' vided with a head 44. The lower end of the cylinder 43 iscut away at the front and rear sides, as shown at 43 (see Fig. 9 toprovide a pair of downwardly exten ing integral arms 43b (see Fig. 10).vEach of these arms is slotted in the manner shown at 43 in Fig. 11. i.

At 45 I have shown a `tapering-member which is secured to the cylinder43 in the following manner: As w1ll be seen from Figs. 11, 12 and 13Jthe tapering member 45 is provided with inwardly extending-'lugs such asthose shown at 4.6, these lugs being` of such ashape that they arepermitted to enter the smaller portion of the slot 43 only when themember 45 and the cylinder 43 are in alinement, but .to assume apositionlike that shown in Fig. 11 when. these members are not inalii-lementso that the lug 46 will engage shoulders like that shown at47 to prevent the detachment of the tapering member 45. The means forholdin tapering member 45 in its angular re ation with respect to thecylinder 43 consists of a spring 48 whose central portion is passedaround the lower end'of the cylinder, the portions of the spring on eachside ofthe On the, lower end of a re-V yoke 42 is'a cylinder- 43 pro-fthe center being wound around the respective.

'45 and the cylinder 43.' In order`to hold the flexible member or hosein place, I make use of the bent spring 52 whose central portion 52la issecured inthe upper end-'of the member 45 and whose end portions 52b areadapted to enter a slot 53 in the member 45 as clearly shown in Figs. 12and 13. A .spring 55 is disposed betweenthe Varms of the yoke 42, oneend of the spring bearing upoh the 'yoke and the other being secured tothe cylinder 43.` This will permit the cylinder to turn in one directionunder spring tension but will prevent an up and down movement. v

Referring now to Fig. 1,1 have shown a locomotive which I have denotedin general 'by L. .The locomotive is provided with the usual airreservoir- R which communicates by means of the pipe 56 .with the inlet29. (See. Fig. 5). The outlet 30 communicates by means of a short pipe57 with a pipe 58- lleading to the p i s 12, 12a and 12b, the .formerentering t e reservoirV or oil con- ]tainer lAv and the two latterentering the lreservoir or oil container' B, A hose or tube like thatshown at 51 connects the outlet 19 (see Fig."2) of each ofthe 'oilcontainers with theoil distributing. device 45 which is held in Aflangeso the wheels W, Wa and Wb respectively, as clearly show n in Flg. 1. Theguide trucks4 AT are connected by means--of the rod 60 with a turnbuckle 62, 'the'latter being connected in turn by the rod -61 to thelever 36.

From theforegoing description of the various parts of the device theoperation thereof may be readily understood. The 'lubricating Huid isplaced in the retainers, being strained' through the screen 7. ANormallythevalve 20is held in upright pos1- "tion like that Ishown in Fig. 2,thereby allowing the' oil to pass through the openings 14aroundthereduced portion of the valve 20. It will not pass the valve member 26because the latter 1s against the seat 16. Now when the engine is-rounding a curve, the trucks T will be turned so as to pull on thelever 36 through the medium "of .the rods 60 and 61,y thereby causingthe inner end of the lever 36 to depress the valve stem position fordelivering oil to the 4vehicle wheels, the combination of a source`of:',mot1ve flu1d,`an loil retalner, a mot1ve flow o oil through the o54; The valve 32 will lthereupon be moved into the position shown inFig. 7, against 'the tension of the spring40,` thus permit- 'tin the airto pass up around the valvef 32 an through the outlet 30, throughthepipes 57 and. 58 into'the pipes" 12,12 and 12". As stated before, 'the'interior of the oil retainers is similar to that shown in Fig. 2.-Consider 'now the action ofthe air,` As it enters the cylinder 8 'itwill press downn wardly on Athe head of the valve 20,' driving the samebefore it so as -to open valve 26 and bring the face r 20,z intoccontact with vthe valve seat 1,5.V The oil which has alread beenadmitted through the openings v14 wi l be'permitted to pass into theflexible tubes 5l. Moreover, the air. pressure passing through thepassages 22 and23 in the valve member 20 will cause the oil to be blownout upon the flanges of the wheels. In the meantime, the`A movement ofthe valve 20` has shut ofl1 the flow `of'oil so that only -a-smallportion is forced out. This is suflicient, however, to lubricate theflange for the time being. Now when the straight portion of the track.is 'reached and the truck returns again vto its normal position thelever 36 will be lifted and the spring 40 willrestore the valve 42 tothe normalA position, thereby cutting off the air from the cylinder 8.The

air ofcoursewillj continue to pass through the passages2'2 and 23 untilthe normal -pressure 1- inside of the cylinder 8 is attained when 'the'member20 4will be pushedupwardly into its initial position, therebyreseatin valve 26I and permitting another ings 1,4: preparato the nextlubricatmg portion. am aware that other forms of the device based. uponthe same general plan might be made but I consider as my own all such'modifications as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of theinvention.

I claim r 1. In a device for lubricatingflanges `of.

tor

fluid control mechanism disposed between the -source of motive fluid andthelo1l retainer, connections between'said source and 'said controldevice on one side andby said controlV device and 'sa-id oil retainer onthe l Vother side, an oil distributing device, flexible connectionsbetween said o1l retainer land said oil ,distributing device, an oilfeed mechanism carried by said oil retainer adapted to be operated bymotive fluid, and automatic means for operating said fluid controllingdevice;

2. In a device for lubricating flanges Iof vehicle wheels, thecombination of a source of motive fluid, an oil retainer, a motive fluidcontrol mechanlsm disposed between the source of' motive 'fluid and.theoil retainer, connections between said source and, said cont-roldevice on one side and" by said control device and said nism, and means`attached to the t-rucks of the vehicle for actuating said lever.

3. In a device for lubricating flanges` of vehicle wheels, an oilretainer, a bracket secured to the frameof the vehicle, a pipe carriedby said bracket, an oil 'distributing device hinged to said pipe, and aflexible connection between said oil retainer and the discharge end ofsaid oil distributing device, said exible connection passing throughsaid P1Pep 4. In. a device for lubricating flanges of vehicle wheels, anoil retainer, a bracket secured tothe frame-of tthe vehicle',;a'pipecarried ,by said bracket, an oil distributing device hinged to saidpipe, a exible connection between said oil retainer and the discharge'end of said oil distributing device, said flexible connection passingthrough said pipe, and means for maintaining said hinged oil.distributing `device in contact with a wheeli 4 5. The combination witha source of com'- pressed air, of an oil retainer, an air controllingdevice disposed between said oil retainer andsaid source o f compressed,air, sa1d oil lretainer comprising a main reservo1r, a tube extendingtherethrough and provided w-ith openings at its bottom communi, leatingwith the interior of the reservolr, 'a

movable valve member within said tube, said valve member having arestricted passage extending longitudinally through the valve and' beingprovided' w1tha pair of"v"alve faces, a connectingl pipe between the aircontrolling means andt-he restricted passage in said valve member, and asprin for holding one of said valve faces normal? 6. In an oil retainer,a main reservoir, a. tube extending therethrough and provided withopenings at itsbottom communicating with the interior of the reservoir,a movable ,r

valve member within said tube, said valve member having a pair of valvefaces, and a spring for 'holding one of said valve faces normallyagainst itsseat, and the other away rom the seat, the movement of one ofsaid valve members from its seat'serving to permit a flow of lubricaty,against its .side and the other away fromlits seat. N5

ing uid out of the reservoir around said plunger head 17o vthe oppositeend of chiei valve mmber 11nd the movement of the the valve member, y oteI-.va ve rom e Seat serving to permit E the ow of the fluid from thespace around v CHARLES F' HOOFER 5 the valve member, said valve memberbeing Witnesses:

provided With -a plunger head at one end and MAURICE .SMITH1 having acentral passage extendng through S..

